A Huge Cloud of Witnesses AND One to One Relationships

Luke 2:52 states that spiritual formation was happening in Jesus, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years and in divine and human favor.” (NRSV) But, the question is “HOW?”

We don’t know much about his childhood. I suspect he was playing around the carpenter shop and playing tag with his siblings. And, his Mom was making sure he was learning his “subjects”!  Jesus was not born fully knowing everything; He GREW! Scripture affirms this!  

His parents were instruments of formation, His family were instruments of formation, His friends at the Temple were instruments of formation. Jesus’ prayer life and devotional life formed Him. His play time, His meal time, His rising up and laying down formed Him. As Jesus grew up, He was learning more and more about more and more. He grew wise and He grew healthy relationships.

The same is true for us. My parents have helped me form me. My family, especially my Grandmother Nannie, helped form me. My life experiences, my devotional life, my friends have helped form me. Thanks be to God, that we aren’t formed in a vacuum. Thanks be to God that we don’t have to do this forming alone. Most all of my learning has been done in relationships!

I am a product of my relationships, my formal learning, and all my life experiences. So was Jesus!  Jesus chose to grow. Sometimes I am reluctant to grow. Yet, even my reluctance is a forming experience. We grow and are formed through all the good and bad of life, when we are paying attention and when we are not, when we embrace formative experiences and when we don’t.

So, we each have this huge cloud of witnesses around us who have helped us grow! AND, we have these wonderfully rich one on one relationships that help us make sense of the lives we are living. It seems that these “one on one” relationships have always happened just when I needed them.  And the huge cloud of witnesses continue to nurture, protect and affirm me. 

I’m am grateful for the model that Jesus gives us to grow. I’m grateful for the relationships and experiences that have helped me grow. Yet, there is still much to be learned, still much to be formed. I continue to work out my formation with fear and trembling. What about you?